Cal Leandros - Niko's Tears
by CalLeandrosFan001
Summary: Robin wants to know if the stoic Niko has ever shed tears. Cal decides to tell him of that horrible moment that happened so long ago... Rated M because of language, violence and unwanted sexual content.


Niko's Tears

Cal's P.O.V.

"Has Niko ever cried before? Real-tears crying?", Robin Goodfellow the Puck asked. Dammit. Why do people keep asking other people about their personal lives?

Robin had shown up at the Ninth Circle to meet me when I got off work. Niko was still on shift at NYU and wouldn't be out until after five. It was only two o' clock now, and I was getting off work. Weird bar hours. Than again, the Ninth Circle was anything but a normal bar.

And hardly the place to have secret past discussions. Ah, what the hell. I might as well tell the nosy puck. Not that any fond memories grew from tears. Tears were from pain. Sadness. Love. **THERE** was a happy one. Love.

I downed my glass of beer and sighed in what I hope looked like sadness. I was sure feeling it right now. "Once. Niko has cried in front of me only once.", I said, not looking up. "He was supposed to come get me at school, but I guessed he forgot. All heroes did that. Niko was definately mine." I grinned.

"I walked home by myself to see our front door was open. It was never like that. I walked into the house to find Sophia gone and Niko on the living room floor. He had blood running down from his head and was crying hard from the way his shoulders shook. Hell, I could **HEAR** his heart-wrenching sobs." And they** WERE** heart-wrenching. Especially to the eight-year old brother who looked up to his twelve-year old brother.

I wanted to wrench the heart out of whoever made him cry.

After my little Auphe-Escapade, I came back and stabbed humans who made Niko **BEG**. I don't know what I would do to the person who made him cry...even eight-year old Cal had his homicidal overprotective moments.

"And? Continue please.", Robin said, obviously on the edge-of-his-seat. I held up a finger and downed another cold one Samyel the Peri bartender brought over.

I felt like I needed it for **THIS** part of the story.

"He was raped."

Robin blinked and almost fell out of his chair. I didn't blame him. When Niko told me that so long ago, I wanted to shear off whoever's junk had touched my brother.

"Niko told me Sophia let her male 'friend' stay, and it was discovered that he liked pretty long-haired boys better than a whore who'd spread her legs for any**THING**." I saw Goodfellow grit his teeth as I continued. He wasn't the only one pissed.

The guy who did it is long-dead now, but I wish I had known Wahanket the Mummy back then. I would've had him use his powers to bring that piece of shit back to life so I could kill him again.

And again and again and **AGAIN**.

"The man jerked Niko up and clocked him one on the head, forcing him on the bed.", I continued grimly. "Then he did something worse than forcing his dick inside my brother. He told Niko that he would have me disposed of if Niko didn't quit resisting." My fingers turned paler as I gripped my glass of beer, cracking it.

"Niko told me all of it, but he made me promise not to tell any authorities. We would be shipped to foster care and be split up." Robin gripped the hand holding my beer and I realized I was bleeding. I took Robin's hand in my other and gripped it just as hard. I felt like crying myself, but this wasn't damn Oprah or Dr. Phil.

Time to finish the story.

"Sophia brought him over again and he thought he was going to get lucky when she left the house." I grinned darkly. "It was too bad he didn't know I was home with my Christmas present."

Too bad, _**INDEED**_.

"Christmas present? I thought this was during summer.", Robin asked. "It was. Niko told me I couldn't have it until Christmas, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to protect us with it. Putting a bullet in that guys head was fucking perfect. So were the other six that I put in his body. I didn't stop 'till Niko yanked the thing out of my hands." I had wrapped up my hand and Samyel had gotten me a replacement glass. Robin let go of my hand so I could pour my drink, but also because of my boss Ishiah. They had a thing going on and I didn't want complications from either side.

I also didn't think hand-holding was very Puck-ish behavior.

Meh. Whatever.

"Niko griped at me, of course. We buried the stupid man and hid the gun by the time 'mother dearest' came crawling back. I had bandaged Niko's head and reassured him that the guy was dead. Niko then smiled at me, told me I was a great brother, then went to sleep. I had never seen him cry since then."

"Niko couldn't protect himself then?", Robin asked.

So damn nosy.

"No **SHIT**lock. He was only twelve and barely a muscle on him. Sad thing is, Niko wasn't crying about getting raped."

"What?!"

"The real nut-kicker? He was crying because he thought he was too weak to protect me, much less himself. He knew about the Auphe a little after I became potty-trained. He knew there were monsters out there and he was crying over not being strong enough to protect me from them.", I said as I gripped my new glass of beer. I smiled bitterly. "Twelve years old. Instead of taking care of a baby-monster, he should've been asking a girl out." Robin patted my arm.

"He chose to raise you, because he **LOVES** you, Caliban. Never think to yourself that you are a burden to him. You'd soon be seeing him cry again if he saw that in your eyes everytime he looked at you. The Auphe have perished. You have won."

It doesn't feel like I did, but Robin's right. I'd give anything to not be the cause of Niko's tears.

I met Niko outside of NYU and we went to one of his favorite vegan restaurants. My treat.

I also took him to some boring old museum. Again, my treat.

"What gives?", Niko asked. "That's the third hot dog vendor we have passed without your stopping. Are you okay?" I gave Niko one of my rare smiles. They were only for special occassions, and this was one of those occassions. All for Niko. My brother.

My only family.

"I dunno. Guess I'm feeling a little spoiled lately. Wanted to return the favor." Niko looked confused for a moment, but let the issue go.

It was for the best.

Niko has spoiled me my entire life. I'd never be able to pay him back, but hey...

...it's worth a try.

END.


End file.
